The MCC Board of Governors voted to withdraw from the Nebraska Community College
Association (NCCA) effective June 30, following a restructuring of the association
that failed to resolve the disproportionate influence among the state's community
colleges.

The May 24 vote followed a May 2 NCCA meeting in which the association rejected a
resolution, proposed by MCC, to link each member college's voting influence and
assessment of annual dues to its annual full-time equivalent student enrollment
relative to that of other member colleges. Such a structure would have allowed
colleges with a larger population to cast more votes than smaller institutions.
Instead, the NCCA passed a resolution proposed by Southeast Community College to
replace the NCCA board representatives with a CEO council not based on student
enrollment.

Such an arrangement will allow more state aid to flow to other member
colleges—even though MCC serves a larger population.

"This is about the money," said Dave Newell, MCC Board of Governors Representative.
"There are two schools in the western part of the state that receive three times the
state aid per student than MCC receives. If the 40 percent of foundation state aid was
removed from the base of the funding formula, it would free up $36 million dollars
that could be reallocated to serving students."

MCC's budget is comprised of state aid, property taxes levied from the four-county
service area and tuition. Parting with the NCCA allows MCC to lobby the Legislature
directly for the funds that help serve nearly 50,000 students each year in four
counties. As the second-largest postsecondary institution in the state, additional
funding will help the College hold the line on property taxes even as more students
pursue their education at MCC.

The resolution to withdraw from the NCCA was included as part of the board's
consent agenda, which passed 10-0 at the board's May meeting.